


First Impressions

by Madelief



Series: A New Beginning [1]
Category: Mass Effect: Andromeda
Genre: F/M, Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-26
Updated: 2017-03-26
Packaged: 2018-10-11 00:18:20
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,252
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10450755
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Madelief/pseuds/Madelief
Summary: Kensa Ryder and Reyes Vidal meet for the first time. Just had to write this one out, I love Reyes!





	

She’d hardly lived a sheltered life, but the casual violence and harsh indifference to humanity on Kadara Port was at a new level. Ryder had felt dirty the moment she’d stepped off the Tempest. It was near on impossible to ignore the malevolence pointed square in her direction. While she understood it, Ryder sure didn’t feel comfortable as their chosen target.

‘Andromeda Initiative representatives are not welcome here. Unsurprisingly,’ Ryder muttered under her breath, narrowly avoiding being spat on. ‘Teach me to put my Sunday best on to go visiting.’

‘Blending in with the locals is always the best strategy,’ Vetra replied cheerfully. ‘With water being at a premium hygiene comes well below basic survival.’

‘Hey, I can’t help it if I get to be cleaner than they do. Of all the things going on in this clusterfuck of a galaxy, that’s what someone is going to hold against me? That I haven’t forgotten how to hold a toothbrush?’ Ryder snorted in derision, refusing to be cowed by the blatant intimidation that seemed to pass for normal. ‘I have bigger things to worry about rather than this bunch of thugs.’

She raised a hand, pausing both Vetra and Drack. With an inward sigh of resignation Ryder acknowledged how much better the old mercenary and savvy wheeler dealer behind her were far more suited to the task of liaising with operatives working on the wrong side of the law. Not that there really was a law in Heleus of course, Ryder refusing to credit Director Tann with such a level of credibility. No, there was just an individual’s moral compass to guide them in this ground-breaking frontier of theirs. Something lacking on Kadara, by all accounts.

‘Right then,’ Ryder said firmly, eyeing up the seedy-looking drinking den in front of her. ‘Shanya? is in here, you say?’

‘Yep,’ Drack confirmed with an affirmative grunt. ‘Kralla’s Song. Could be worse. Could be in the slums. At least here you’re guaranteed your glass will be clean and the liquor won’t corrode your liver. Too much.’  

‘Excellent. Well, no time like the present, after all.’ Ryder squared her shoulders, checking her credits on her omni-tool. ‘Let me do this on my own. Less obtrusive than all three of us charging in there.’

‘Sounds good to me. Three’s most certainly a crowd.’ There was an amused edge to Vetra’s words that Ryder couldn’t place. ‘I’ve got some contacts to hit up. You go on ahead, Pathfinder.’

‘Me too,’ Drack agreed, already drifting off. ‘Clan business. Let’s stay in touch.’

‘You got it….guys? Ok then.’ Ryder shrugged, realising she was already talking to thin air. Vetra and Drack had disappeared amongst the press of humans and aliens thronging the crowded market square. She blinked up at more garish neon lights signalling the entrance to Kralla’s Song, another asari drinking den which seemed to spring up no matter where in the Milky Way people travelled. Or Heleus now too, it seemed.

Ducking inside, Ryder walked steadily to the bar, noting with some relief that it was clean. Folding her arms over the dark metal surface, she idly watched an altercation between the tough-looking asari bartender and thieving krogan. There were a few patrons hanging around the tables, next to a deserted dance floor. The whole atmosphere was tense, Ryder remaining alert to the first hint of trouble.

For all her experience in the field with the Alliance, Ryder and assignations in dodgy bars wasn’t something she’d had much practice at. Wistfully she caught sight of a fine single malt behind the bar, wondering if she’d get away with it on this one occasion. As all her family knew, she treasured a good shot of whiskey after particularly trying days. Or over a game of cards.

_Well, all my family? There’s only Scott left…._

_Pity party for one, with your head straight first down a whiskey bottle. So productive._

‘You look like you’re waiting for someone.’

The first thing Ryder registered was a delicious shiver down her spine at the deep accent, her fanciful imagination conjuring up clichéd images of sultry nights on sunset beaches, red wine and mellow conversation before slowly moving on the dancefloor with the perfect partner, a guitar strumming a haunting melody.  

The second thing was annoyance at herself for so completely losing her head in such a dangerous place and over a total stranger. Plastering a smile on her face, hoping her cheeks weren’t flaming too madly, she nonchalantly turned around to see if the man matched such a delicious voice. She wasn’t to be disappointed. Lean and muscular, Ryder noted with a hum of pleasure in her stomach at the firm, warm grip of his handshake.

His eyes caught her attention the most, the colour of brandy, the clean shaven, hard lines of his jaw offset by lips that were slightly apart in a grin. Ryder knew, with her white-blonde hair, sapphire eyes and lightly tanned skin covering off a package that was trim and filled out in all the right places, she normally warranted more than a second look. The energy flowing between them both, however, was something else entirely.

_A bad boy. This one is bound to be all fun and no commitment._

_Watch yourself, Kensa Ryder._

The man, now revealed to be Reyes Vidal, smuggler and contact of The Resistance, was not the angaran Ryder had been expecting. Tall, dark and handsome strangers with dubious backgrounds were a species she’d taught herself to stay well away from. This particular stranger, however, had most certainly caught her interest and she was willing to overlook the danger that lurked within. Especially when Reyes’ gaze strayed to the bottle Ryder had been eyeing up and, before she knew it, was sloshing in her glass as they clinked glasses.

_He noticed….what else does this man notice?_

_Grip, Ryder, grip. Before you trot out another awful one-liner?_

Somehow, Ryder continued a conversation and avoided blurting out something utterly embarrassing, a lifetime of formal pleasantries saving the day. Her analytical mind took over, allowing one half to carry on with business while she indulged herself in the thrill of the mutual attraction that was sparking freely between them both.

Their business concluded, Ryder had no choice but to end such a highly pleasant interlude. If it had been any other situation, and she anyone else but the Pathfinder, she’d have stuck around to see where else this….thing between them went. If it went anywhere of course, and her fevered imagination hadn’t just been making up the whole thing these past five minutes.  

‘How…’ She blurted out, almost wanting to hit herself for such awkwardness. Frantically, Ryder sought for an excuse to that didn’t sound too lame. ‘…how do I contact you if this all goes south?’

The wink Reyes gave her in return told her all she needed to know. That they would see each other again was beyond doubt, and the promise in his slow smile as he turned to leave made her heart actually skip a beat in anticipation. Silently Ryder watched him disappear into the shadows as stealthily as he’d come, her attention lingering enjoyably over powerful legs and a toned ass that even baggy work trousers couldn’t hide.

‘You owe me a drink you bastard,’ Ryder whispered with a laugh, strolling out of the bar with a far lighter heart than she’d had since…forever it felt. ‘I can’t wait to find out how you intend to pay me back.’


End file.
